editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94A former NPR Moscow bureau chief, Michele Kelemen now covers the State Department and Washington's diplomatic corps. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered.In her latest beat, Kelemen has been traveling with Secretary of State John Kerry and Hillary Clinton before him, tracking the Obama administration's broad foreign policy agenda from Asia to the Middle East. She also followed President Bush's Secretaries of State Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell and was part of the NPR team that won the 2007 Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Award for coverage of the war in Iraq.As NPR's Moscow bureau chief, Kelemen chronicled the end of the Yeltsin era and Vladimir Putin's consolidation of power. She recounted the terrible toll of the latest war in Chechnya, while also reporting on a lighter side of Russia, with stories about modern day Russian literature and sports.Kelemen came to NPR in September 1998, after eight years workingNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Michele KelemenSun, 20 Nov 2016 09:45:53 +0000Michele Kelemenhttp://knau.org
Michele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit WERTHEIMER, HOST: President-elect Donald Trump's victory is causing concern at the U.N. Outgoing Secretary General Ban Ki-moon steps down at the end of the year. And Trump has promised to drop out of the Paris climate change agreement, which is Ban Ki-moon's biggest legacy. That's not all U.N. diplomats are worried about these days as NPR's Michele Kelemen reports. MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: Technically, the U.N. says the U.S. can't pull out of the Paris climate change agreement for four years, but Deputy Secretary General Jan Eliasson understands the U.N. can't force countries to meet their target to limit greenhouse gas emissions. And often countries take their cues from the U.S. JAN ELIASSON: So you have a four-year period where nothing can change the agreement. But, of course, we all realize that the agreement builds on voluntary action and national actions. KELEMEN: His boss, the U.N. secretary general, has spoken to Trump by phone and isTrump Victory Leaves U.N. Officials Hoping To Keep Climate Deal In Placehttp://knau.org/post/trump-victory-leaves-un-officials-hoping-keep-climate-deal-place
85498 as http://knau.orgSat, 19 Nov 2016 22:21:00 +0000Trump Victory Leaves U.N. Officials Hoping To Keep Climate Deal In PlaceMichele KelemenUpdated at 7:33 p.m. ETSince this story was written, the State Department said it was contacted by the president-elect's transition representatives. The phone call was apparently limited to a discussion about logistics.The State Department's transition office has been quiet, as Trump and his top advisers remain in New York. State Department spokesman John Kirby says officials stand ready and willing to offer any briefing materials to the Trump team, but so far, there just haven't been any calls."It's not our place to inject ourselves into those decisions about who the president-elect is going to speak to and what they're going to discuss," Kirby told reporters Wednesday. "I mean, those are his staff's decisions to make. We, of course, stand ready to assist the president-elect's team in any way that they deem fit. But as I said, there's been no outreach to date."And there were no contacts with either the Trump transition team or Japanese officials before a meeting planned for ThursdayTrump In Contact With Foreign Leaders, But State Department Phones Quiethttp://knau.org/post/trump-contact-foreign-leaders-not-state-department
85417 as http://knau.orgThu, 17 Nov 2016 21:01:00 +0000Trump In Contact With Foreign Leaders, But State Department Phones QuietMichele KelemenThe State Department has opened up a transition office, but that ground-floor corner office in Washington's Foggy Bottom neighborhood is quiet for now as diplomats await news of their new boss. Donald Trump's pick for secretary of state could tell a lot about the direction he will take U.S. foreign policy.At the moment, all eyes are on former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a longtime friend of Trump and strong backer throughout the campaign. He's an unlikely candidate with little foreign policy experience, though he did manage the city that is home to the United Nations.Speaking to the Wall Street Journal CEO council Monday, Giuliani seemed to suggest that he's interested in the post, and he gave some ideas of what direction a Trump administration might go.On the Iran deal, he said the president-elect has a lot of options because Congress never ratified the agreement. At the same time, he says a new administration might take its time and focus first on the threat of ISIS.Another nameFor Trump's Secretary Of State, Buzz Centers On Giuliani, Boltonhttp://knau.org/post/trumps-secretary-state-buzz-centers-around-giuliani-bolton
85332 as http://knau.orgTue, 15 Nov 2016 20:55:00 +0000For Trump's Secretary Of State, Buzz Centers On Giuliani, BoltonMichele KelemenOne of the promises Donald Trump made on the campaign trail was to dismantle or renegotiate the U.S. deal with Iran that limits its nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. If he makes good on that promise, it won't be the first time a Republican administration has walked away from an arms deal negotiated by Democrats.In 1994 the Clinton administration struck a deal with North Korea that essentially would freeze Pyongyang's nuclear program in exchange for aid. The so-called Agreed Framework was highly controversial in Congress. It eventually collapsed in 2002, when the Bush administration confronted North Korea with evidence that Pyongyang was cheating.David Albright of the Institute for Science and International Security is predicting something similar when a Trump administration gets into office and decides how to proceed with Iran."I think they will probably throw the deal aside," he says. "I witnessed how the Bush administration killed the Agreed Framework, which was aWill Iran Deal Meet The Same Fate As A Past U.S.-North Korean Arms Deal?http://knau.org/post/will-iran-deal-meet-same-fate-past-us-north-korean-arms-deal
85302 as http://knau.orgTue, 15 Nov 2016 09:45:00 +0000Will Iran Deal Meet The Same Fate As A Past U.S.-North Korean Arms Deal?Michele KelemenOn this Election Day, Secretary of State John Kerry is traveling just about as far from Washington, D.C., as he can go. He's on his way to Antarctica, becoming the first secretary of state to visit all seven continents after logging well over a million miles while in office.Kerry is visiting McMurdo Station, a U.S. research center in the Ross Sea — and, yes, the South Pole, too. His spokesman, John Kirby, says the purpose is to talk to researchers and scientists before he joins climate change talks in Morocco on Nov. 15.Kirby bristled when a reporter asked if Kerry was just trying to knock Antarctica off his bucket list before his term ends, and while U.S. taxpayers still foot the bill for such trips."As an individual who has literally championed climate change research and awareness for decades now, the secretary is and will remain committed to increasing the awareness and education of the public about this," Kirby stressed. "It is important for him to see firsthand what we areJohn Kerry Heads To Antarctica And To A New Travel Recordhttp://knau.org/post/john-kerry-heads-antarctica-and-new-travel-record
85014 as http://knau.orgTue, 08 Nov 2016 18:02:00 +0000John Kerry Heads To Antarctica And To A New Travel RecordMichele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit NPR.Iran Hardliners Target Dual Nationalshttp://knau.org/post/iran-hardliners-target-dual-nationals
84567 as http://knau.orgSat, 29 Oct 2016 13:19:00 +0000Iran Hardliners Target Dual NationalsMichele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit MONTAGNE, HOST: In just the past week, Iranian courts have sentenced three Americans to lengthy prison terms. All are dual nationals, Iranian-Americans. And the latest, a man from San Diego, is facing the toughest punishment yet on what appears to be a case based on his Facebook posts. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports. MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: San Diego resident Robin Shahini was back in Iran to visit his mother when he was arrested over the summer. VICE News is quoting him as saying that the Iranians used his social media posts as evidence against him in a case that ended with an 18-year prison term. The length of that sentence came as a shock to Hadi Ghaemi, who runs a New York-based nonprofit called the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran. HADI GHAEMI: It was a very surprising and draconian sentence because Shahini is not someone who has any track record as a dissident or a well-known activist. KELEMEN: Shahini, who's in his mid-40s,3 Iran-Americans Receive Lengthy Prison Sentences In Iranhttp://knau.org/post/3-iran-americans-receive-lengthy-prison-sentences-iran
84414 as http://knau.orgWed, 26 Oct 2016 11:33:00 +00003 Iran-Americans Receive Lengthy Prison Sentences In IranMichele KelemenRussia and Syria have temporarily halted airstrikes on the beleaguered eastern part of Aleppo, the part of the city controlled by the rebels. Instead, Aleppo has been showered with leaflets that urge rebel fighters and civilians to flee.Russia's Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Thursday his country's air force was extending for another day a "humanitarian pause" so civilians in need of medical care can get out of the city."We are appealing [to] countries that have influence on armed groups in eastern Aleppo to convince them to stop fighting and leave," Shoigu said.Russia and Syria appear intent on taking all of Aleppo, and there's no real hope the lull will last. A Russian aircraft carrier group is heading toward the Mediterranean, off the coast of Syria, in what Western military officials say could be a sign of a final push to retake Aleppo.This tactic of calling on the opposition to give up or face a major onslaught has been used by the Syrian government throughout the conflictThe Stark Choice In Aleppo: Flee Or Face More Attacks http://knau.org/post/stark-choice-aleppo-flee-or-face-more-attacks
84211 as http://knau.orgThu, 20 Oct 2016 22:07:00 +0000The Stark Choice In Aleppo: Flee Or Face More Attacks Michele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit GREENE, HOST: Now, whoever is the next president will probably be spending a good bit of time in September thinking about a big annual speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. President Obama has just given that speech this morning probably for the last time as president of the United States, unless something happens and he has to go to the U.N. and give another big speech. Among other things, the president told world leaders there today to reject authoritarianism and to embrace open societies. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: We are all stakeholders in this international system, and it calls upon all of us to invest in the success of institutions to which we belong. GREENE: I'm joined now by Michele Kelemen, NPR's diplomatic correspondent who's in New York. Michele, good morning. MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: Good morning, David. GREENE: So we had been talking about this speech. We were setting it up asObama Delivers His Last Address To U.N. General Assemblyhttp://knau.org/post/obama-delivers-his-last-address-un-general-assembly
83080 as http://knau.orgTue, 20 Sep 2016 16:14:00 +0000Obama Delivers His Last Address To U.N. General AssemblyMichele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit NPR.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST: I'm Rachel Martin, and this is For the Record. Let's go back to 1945 - August 14, New York, Times Square. World War II was over, and Americans took to the streets to celebrate. A photograph captured a kiss. The woman in the picture was widely considered to be Greta Zimmer Friedman. She died this month at the age of 92. The photo became one of the most iconic images in American history, in part because it symbolized the joy and optimism of a nation emerging from war. For the Record today - the back story behind another famous photo that was taken 40 years ago this year. Instead of unity, this photo captures rage, division and the racial tension that is still so present now in our country. The photo is titled "The Soiling Of Old Glory," and it won a Pulitzer Prize. It was taken on April 5, 1976. STANLEY FORMAN: It just - for the time, it has everything you'd want in a picture. MARTIN: Stanley Forman took the photo for whatUN Secretary General Pushes Climate Change Agreement Before Next Administrationhttp://knau.org/post/un-secretary-general-pushes-climate-change-agreement-next-administration
83013 as http://knau.orgSun, 18 Sep 2016 12:06:00 +0000UN Secretary General Pushes Climate Change Agreement Before Next AdministrationMichele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Civilians Pay The Price As Syrian Conflict Grows More Violenthttp://knau.org/post/civilians-pay-price-syrian-conflict-grows-more-violent
82537 as http://knau.orgTue, 06 Sep 2016 20:35:00 +0000Civilians Pay The Price As Syrian Conflict Grows More ViolentMichele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.U.N. Fails To Bring Transparency To Secretary General Racehttp://knau.org/post/un-fails-bring-transparency-secretary-general-race
82324 as http://knau.orgWed, 31 Aug 2016 20:30:00 +0000U.N. Fails To Bring Transparency To Secretary General RaceMichele KelemenAt the start of the school year, Stephen Brooks likes to ask students at Dartmouth College to look around the globe and choose a region where they think the U.S. could pull back. Would they shrink the U.S. footprint in Western Europe, East Asia or the Middle East?Most students used to say Western Europe. That was before Vladimir Putin's Russia annexed Crimea and became involved in Eastern Ukraine. Now, most students say if they had to, they'd scale back in the Middle East, a region so troubled, the U.S. might not be able to do much to help.Brooks says this exercise is meant to get students thinking about the big picture, something the next president will have to do, too."The biggest things on the table right now for any president is not the crisis of the day, but rather the overall position of America in the world," said Brooks, who co-authored America Abroad: The United States' Global Role in the 21st Century.With the presidential election just over two months away, NPR is lookingThe Next President's Inbox: Challenges From Russia, China And Everywherehttp://knau.org/post/next-presidents-inbox-challenges-russia-china-and-everywhere
82200 as http://knau.orgMon, 29 Aug 2016 07:32:00 +0000The Next President's Inbox: Challenges From Russia, China And EverywhereMichele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit MCEVERS, HOST: Secretary of State John Kerry was in Saudi Arabia today trying to end a conflict that Saudi Arabia is fighting but the U.S. is getting blamed for, too. That is the war in Yemen. A Saudi-led coalition has been bombarding Yemen for 18 months now to try to restore a government that was ousted by a rebel group called the Houthis. The Saudis have been getting technical help. And as the civilian death toll mounts, Secretary Kerry is trying to revive peace talks. Here's NPR's Michele Kelemen. MICHELE KELEMEN, BYLINE: As Kerry was huddling with diplomats in the Saudi city of Jeddah, the U.N. High Commission for Human Rights in Geneva was releasing another damning report about the conflict in Yemen. One of the authors, Mohammad Ali Alnsour, says all sides seem to be ignoring humanitarian law, using cluster bombs and landmines and striking civilian targets that should be off-limits. MOHAMMAD ALI ALNSOUR: Like markets, like wedding ceremoniesSecretary Of State Kerry Visits Saudi Arabia In Effort To End Yemen Warhttp://knau.org/post/secretary-state-kerry-visits-saudi-arabia-effort-end-yemen-war
82087 as http://knau.orgThu, 25 Aug 2016 21:05:00 +0000Secretary Of State Kerry Visits Saudi Arabia In Effort To End Yemen WarMichele KelemenIn a report on Monday, Human Rights Watch described a harrowing series of events that took place less than a mile from a U.N. base in South Sudan's capital, Juba. On July 11, the report said, dozens of men in government uniforms "ransacked and looted" a hotel compound, first killing a South Sudanese journalist and then assaulting and raping aid workers staying there.Among them was Jesse Bunch, a private contractor, who was hiding in a room with several other Westerners and was shot through a door in the leg."They broke down the door, they came in, they began to threaten women, they separated us into groups, they took us outside," he told NPR. "We saw where they shot the local journalist and then they began to separate women into the various rooms.""I said, 'Look, these women are here to help you, don't hurt them.' But they continued to take them out and I heard crying in the other rooms."Jehanne Henry, with Human Rights Watch, has spoken with several of those women, who did not want toAid Workers Provide Harrowing Accounts Of Being Attacked In South Sudanhttp://knau.org/post/aid-workers-provide-harrowing-accounts-being-attacked-south-sudan
81735 as http://knau.orgWed, 17 Aug 2016 21:35:00 +0000Aid Workers Provide Harrowing Accounts Of Being Attacked In South SudanMichele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.Ukraine's Ambassador Struggles To Stay Silent About Donald Trumphttp://knau.org/post/ukraines-ambassador-struggles-stay-silent-about-donald-trump
81154 as http://knau.orgThu, 04 Aug 2016 20:30:00 +0000Ukraine's Ambassador Struggles To Stay Silent About Donald TrumpMichele KelemenWhen Turkish officials visited Washington this week, one of their first stops was the Justice Department. They are trying to make the case that the U.S. should extradite a key suspect in last month's failed coup attempt.Following those talks with the Justice Department, three Turkish lawmakers had tough words about Fethullah Gulen, the aging cleric who lives in rural eastern Pennsylvania and whose followers have been rounded up in Turkey in the wake of the coup."For us, [Osama] bin Laden organizing and directing 9/11 from a cave in Afghanistan is no different than [Gulen] organizing and giving orders for a bloody coup attempt from a small town in the United States," Taha Ozhan, chairman of the Turkish parliament's commission on foreign affairs, said during a news conference at the Turkish Embassy in Washington.Gulen has denied that he or his followers were involved in the failed coup on July 15.Another Turkish lawmaker, Kamil Aydin, of the nationalist MHP party, says he gets the senseWill The U.S. Extradite An Elderly Turkish Cleric? http://knau.org/post/turkish-officials-visit-washington-press-clerics-extradition
81072 as http://knau.orgWed, 03 Aug 2016 10:16:00 +0000Will The U.S. Extradite An Elderly Turkish Cleric? Michele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.With 3 U.S. Citizens In Iranian Jail, A Look At What's Driving The Arrestshttp://knau.org/post/3-us-citizens-iranian-jail-look-whats-driving-arrests
80784 as http://knau.orgWed, 27 Jul 2016 20:07:00 +0000With 3 U.S. Citizens In Iranian Jail, A Look At What's Driving The ArrestsMichele KelemenCopyright 2016 NPR. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.U.S. Considers Turkey's Role In Fighting ISIS After Coup Attempthttp://knau.org/post/us-considers-turkeys-role-fighting-isis-after-coup-attempt
80536 as http://knau.orgFri, 22 Jul 2016 20:32:00 +0000U.S. Considers Turkey's Role In Fighting ISIS After Coup AttemptMichele KelemenThe nuclear deal with Iran has been in place for a year now. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action was the result of complex negotiations between Iran and six world powers — the United States, France, Germany, the U.K., China and Russia. It lengthened the time that Iran would need for "nuclear breakout," ensuring that it could not rush to build a nuclear bomb undetected.Secretary of State John Kerry, one of the key authors, believes the deal has "made the world safer." However, the deal has not resolved many concerns about Iranian behavior in the region and around the world.Republicans are waging a legislative battle with the Obama administration over the deal and presidential candidate Donald Trump has threatened to tear it up (a stance some Iranian hardliners applaud). Many Democratic lawmakers, too, have their doubts about the deal, though White House hopeful Hillary Clinton has described it as a "deal worth supporting."Let's look at some of the key questions about how the nuclearA Year After Iran Nuclear Deal, What Has Changed?http://knau.org/post/year-after-iran-nuclear-deal-what-has-changed
80302 as http://knau.orgMon, 18 Jul 2016 16:36:00 +0000A Year After Iran Nuclear Deal, What Has Changed?